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UStory: Environment Celebration Institute
  by:  |  May 14, 2019
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Last updated on December 19th, 2019 at 09:30 pm

Many of us take for granted the soil that allows plants to grow and thousands of organisms to live.

According to the Science of the Total Environment journal, soil health is defined as “the capacity of a living soil to function, within natural or managed ecosystem boundaries, to sustain plant and animal productivity, maintain or enhance water and air quality, and promote plant and animal health.

soil clearing

By this definition alone, we see how much of our daily functions depend on clean and dependable soil.

The Environment Celebration Institute (ECI) has been providing organic gardening fertilizers and biological agriculture education to promote and develop sustainable green practices and the sustainable use of our natural resources.

What and Who Is Behind ECI

It wasn’t until 2014 that ECI became a nonprofit to receive grants and funding from benefactors and donors.

Executive Director, President, and Founder Dr. Carole Ann Rollins and her husband, James Eddington are the power couple behind ECI. James is in charge of the manufacturing and distribution of the books and products, while Carole also takes care of the marketing, consultation, and supervision of the online biological agriculture classes. She has also co-written, edited, and compiled six books which they distribute under Nature’s Solution.

Bringing Organic Gardening to a Wider Market

The organization started with the sale of organic compost tea.

“We originally started selling organic compost tea which contained beneficial microorganisms to help soil return to more natural conditions, based on what was found in Mother Nature before the use of chemical fertilizers,” Carole explained.

Before Nature Solution’s Compost Tea was available, people who needed this product had to prepare the tea immediately and use it within 24 hours. ECI’s alternative had a shelf-life of one year that enabled larger distribution and a reach among those who did not know how to make the tea. Four other organic fertilizers were also developed in the beginning to “provide a full program of nutrients for organic growers,” Carole describes.

James next to extraction solutions

James found a way to develop the compost tea brewers from stainless steel after initially making them from fiberglass. They needed a long-lasting, clean machine—specifically one not made out of plastic.

ECI also wanted to offer customers a full range of organic fertilizers that include Sea Kelp, so they could purchase everything they needed to grow organically in one place. The organization offered two products in dry form such as the Mycorrizhae Special Hydroponics Formula, which is a more cost-effective alternative for most customers as they only need to add water. A sample of this product was packaged in a product box. What distinguished Nature’s Solution products are its ease of use and scientifically unsound directions and usage rates.

Nature's Solution sea kelp

“We wanted to offer a product that decreased the usage rate to what was more scientifically reasonable and prevented the customers from buying more for the sake of sales and profit,” Carole emphasizes.

With this approach, they assure high-quality, science-based research, and recommended rates of application in every item.

ECI assures high-quality, science-based research, and recommended rates of application in every item. Click To Tweet

Engaging in Education

ECI also offers education through books and online classes found on their site—all available to a global audience. Their classes cover topics such as biological, regenerative, sustainable, and organic agriculture.

Students can learn about biological agriculture and gardening that replenishes soils according to Mother Nature’s true form. Everyone from home gardeners, large-scale agricultural growers, horticultural producers, landscape architects and maintenance companies, to students and teachers enroll in these classes.

Farmer Craig and the Giving Garden

Students on the ECI scholarship have contributed significantly to their respective fields. One scholar, Farmer Craig, began implementing what he learned in his first year at the Giving Gardens Farm in Connecticut. The farmers give food to needy individuals. His project led to a 15% decrease in operating costs.

Another scholar, Beth Goodwin, was able to grow crops in the desert at the Garden at Lirhanzo Children’s Village for orphans in Chikombedzi, Zimbabwe. Carole is all praises for this incredible success and contribution:

“We were so impressed at ECI. Beth told us that, ‘Kids are now eating veggies every day, which is a vast improvement on once a month, so that’s pretty satisfying.’”

Beth Goodwin, was able to grow crops in the desert at the Garden at Lirhanzo Children’s Village for orphans in Chikombedzi, Zimbabwe. Click To Tweet

Matching Quality Products With Quality Printing

Carole and James have been relying on UPrinting for all their printing needs—from flyers, business cards, posters, and brochures—since they started in 2004. Each item shows off the professional quality and reliability of their products. She attests to the consistency of each job’s perfect quality:

“The quality was always perfect. Working with the technical team always provided the best possible, crisp, clean printing of even the smallest letters and design elements. The designs popped out on the page and became real attention grabbers. (The) Work was immaculate, meticulous and delivered on time. We have never gone to any other printer.”

Nature's Solution's sample product box

The designs popped out on the page and became real attention grabbers. - Carole Rollins, ECI Click To Tweet

They have also relied on us for their product packaging, which began with an order of sample boxes for their Nature’s Solution Mycorrhizae products. They also ordered some printed boxes for their Nature’s Solution Sea Kelp.

Carole describes “excellent qualities and small quantities available” as her favorite feature of the boxes. The boxes fulfilled ECI’s expectations in terms of design and ensuring safe delivery of each product. She elaborates more on how these items attested to UPrinting’s consistent quality:

“The boxes we had printed were wonderful box designs and the technical team worked with us on the best possible way to package our product. Each box fit together perfectly, was secure, and never opened or fell apart. Clean seams, folded together perfectly, no paper tears at the seams.”

Carole describes “excellent qualities and small quantities available” as her favorite feature of her custom boxes from UPrinting. Click To Tweet

We are honored to be part of ECI’s efforts to care for the earth and drive change in communities around the world. To learn more about their efforts, check out the Environment Celebration Institute’s website and some of the published success stories of their students.

Do you have a UPrinting story to share? Tell us! Email us at blog@uprinting.com


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